The Church, the Gospel, and the LGBTQ+ Community

Editor's Note: The author of this post wishes to remain anonymous, but can be reached at lightinthestruggle(at)gmail.com

Following the special called General Conference of the United Methodist Church, Adam Hamilton, pastor of the Church of the Resurrection, held a discussion with his church about the future of Methodism. In the hour-long video Hamilton argues that the Bible contradicts itself on many issues and that it promotes views of marriage and sexual ethics that conservative Christians in our culture would find deviant, especially polygamy. He also argues that certain passages of the Bible prove harmful to certain people, and we should question such passages in light of modern understandings. When asked if he thinks homosexuality is a sin, Hamilton says “No” and further states that a same-sex couple living together as a married couple are not in sin. What matters is not the gender of the spouses, but that their sexual expressions remain within marriage.[1]

Hamilton’s views are in line with progressive and liberal thinking in our culture and churches. If you followed social media concerning the General Conference, you saw much anger regarding the Traditional Plan on sexuality, marriage, and the church, voted in by a majority of delegates in the United Methodist denomination.

You also saw something else. Many, especially those identifying within the LGBTQ+ community, felt hurt, betrayed, and frightened. They believed they were being pushed away from a place where they had felt love and accepted.

Seeing the change in the cultural attitudes of the United States and many churches within, we who hold to a conservative understanding of faith must ask how we can best be a witness to those in the LGBTQ+ community. If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that our track record as a whole is not great. While we might shun the practices of extremist groups such as Westboro Baptist, our language and actions have often lacked grace. We have come across as less than loving and kind toward many who identity as anything other than straight.

I write as one who, if I chose to identify in such manner, could be considered bisexual.[2] Therefore, I write as one who in my own life journey has felt ostracized by the words and actions of fellow Christians, though I realize many do not intend to come across in that way.

The beauty of the Gospel, however, is found in the amazing nature of grace. It is here that we can speak to our culture as a voice crying in the wilderness in a way that holds firm to the full truthfulness of Scripture, contra those like Hamilton, yet does so as love speaking truth. To state it another way: We can tell a better story in our witness to those of an LGBTQ+ identity.

In a way, Hamilton is right. The Bible presents a messy view of human sexuality. We read the stories of faithful men, men to whom God made promises and through whom he wrote Scripture, and we find polygamy, adultery, and prostitution. In another way, Hamilton is wrong. This messy view of sexuality does not lead to a license to redefine in our own terms what is holy. When Jesus was asked about the allowance Moses gave concerning a certificate of divorce, he did not say, “You’re right, do as you please.” Instead, Jesus said, “Have you not read, it was not like this from the beginning. Moses allowed this because of your hardness of heart.”

The Law concerning divorce, Jesus said, was not the way things were meant to be but rather provided a fence around the consequences of sin. When Jesus came, someone better than the Law broke into the world. For his people, then, redeemed from sin and filled with the Holy Spirit, the answer is not to remain within the fence but to return to the original design. God created marriage to be a husband and a wife.

We who have tasted the grace of God should know better than all people that sin makes life messy. Sin creates brokenness. When dealing with a drive as strong as sex, that brokenness and messiness is magnified exponentially. Even in our brokenness, we instinctively know that sex is more than pleasure. It is about intimacy, oneness, acceptance, and vulnerability.

When we consider the effects of sin and the doctrine of total depravity, we realize there is no part of human nature that is left unaffected by the fall. The wholeness of our being—mind, body, soul, psychology, brain chemistry—experiences the brokenness and messiness. That means when it comes to the issues of LGBTQ+ identity, some are truly “born that way,” some become such through a combination of nature and nurture where they have experienced trauma, and a small few might have chosen to act that way contrary to their nature.

Being “born that way” or the effects of trauma does not negate the sinfulness of acting on such feelings and identities. On this, we conservatives believe, the Bible is clear. Any sexual relationship outside the marriage between a husband and a wife is contrary to the righteousness of God. Holding this view has become quite counter-cultural.

But we who have tasted the grace of God should also have a greater love toward those of the LGBTQ+ community than what the world offers.

Historically in our culture, we have pointed to Sodom and Gomorrah as an illustration of God’s judgment against homosexuality. The term “sodomy” even comes from the story. Putting aside the fact that the account in Genesis dealt with rape and Ezekiel details factors other than sexuality for the downfall of Sodom, Jesus mentioned the account in the Gospels. Jesus, however, did not use it as a condemnation against homosexuality but against the graceless religion of that day. He warned that those who rejected him face-to-face would face a greater judgment than the men of Sodom. There are sins more damning than sins of sexuality.

Jesus taught that the second greatest commandment was to love our neighbor as ourselves, with no qualifier on the term “neighbor.” If we act in any way less than love toward our LGBTQ+ neighbors, then we place ourselves in the perilous position of potentially opposing Jesus. When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church about judging others, he told them their place was to judge each other within the fellowship of the church, not to judge those outside the church, for it is God who will be judge over them.

This means that while we maintain the sinfulness of humanity, including within the realm of sexuality and identity, our place is not to major on the wrongness of a specific sin. Rather, we are to major on the greatness of grace in the cross.

Most people innately realize the world is not as it should be. Most people understand there is a brokenness and a messiness around us. This from the hints of the image of God that still whispers within us. Most people crave a sense of love an acceptance amidst that brokenness and messiness. What we point to in Jesus is the answer. What we point to in the cross is the fix. Jesus became the brokenness and messiness so that we can have wholeness.

I saw a tweet during the General Conference that read, “At the cross there is level ground.” The person who posted it wrote from a liberal-progressive worldview. Even so, we can say, “Absolutely. All are welcome.” That’s the beauty of grace. God requires no change by us, other than trust in Jesus, to accept us into his family. One need not make himself convert from gay to straight to be accepted by God. The cross is level ground.

The difference is that we say, “While God accepts and welcomes each of us ‘just as I am,’ his love and grace will not forever leave us in our messiness and brokenness. He makes us new and he transforms us.”

That means for all of us, coming to Christ results in an uncomfortable and sometimes painful sacrifice of our identity—straight, gay, bisexual, transgender, cisgender, single, or married. The uncomfortableness and the pain, however, is overwhelmed by a joyous weight of glory. The Gospel recognizes that in the world we find passing pleasures, happiness, and acceptance; but these are only for a moment. The Gospel proclaims to us that in God’s presence there are joys forevermore through Christ; that God gives eternal pleasures, happiness, and acceptance if only we will release our grip on the world and turn to Christ Jesus.

The way we evangelize and engage the LBGTQ+ is not to ostracize because a person sins differently than us, but to show the shining light of hope. To borrow the terminology of John Piper, we point to a Christian Hedonism. We call out with the realities of a greater pleasure and satisfaction in the glories of the Father, the comfort of the Spirit, and the grace of the Son who says, “I do not condemn you, now go and sin no more.”

Christianity, after all, is meant to be exceedingly optimistic against the grains of brokenness, messiness, and confusion. We must do all we can to present it as such.

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steve dillman

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this subject. I am a layman and according to McDonald’s a senior citizen so I get coffee for 95 cents so I am certainly an Old Timer in todays world. So if the UMC is sticking to its fundamental beliefs and teachings of the Bible as per results of their recent meeting and not changing its “mind” on same sex marriage and clergy , should the people who do not “believe” in the UMC traditional beliefs leave the UMC or should they accept the traditional beliefs and stay in the fold. To me, if I did not or do not agree with the teachings and understanding on the Bible as the majority of the UMC, it would be incumbent on the dissenters to leave as they are the ones who “changed” their understanding of the Biblical teachings.

If a gay man came to my church and sat next to me and said I am gay but I want to join your SBC church , I would say why? We do not believe in same sex marriage so why do you want to join us? If you sincerely want to join our church, you are welcome to attend services, learn the Bible , worship and perhaps you will “change” your life style and refrain from homosexual activity. If you do not want to do that there are many churches in every area that will accept you and welcome you without reservation. We have our core beliefs and stand firm in them but do so with love and humility but we want you to change your lifestyle. Unless you sincerely want and can change , then why do u want to join us? We believe on this issue the church cannot change .

So the “new” members of the UMC are the ones who are holding true to what they were taught and what they believe.

“By a vote of 438 to 384 (53 percent in favor) the delegates instead passed the Traditional Plan. This plan maintains The United Methodist Church’s traditional biblical position on marriage and human sexuality. It also enhances accountability to ensure that bishops, clergy, and annual conferences live by the expectations set in our Book of Discipline.”

The great heresy in the gospel presentation is the idea an individual can receive grace and Christ on their terms. We are born in sin because of Adam and not God. The beginning contrast is Cain and Abel. The deadly difference is one desired God on his terms. We ignore the warnings throughout the Bible that “the wages of sin is death”. There are degrees of punishment for sin but all sin produces death. The very essence of repentance means turning and going a different way. The original disciples, except Judas, got that and their former lives were forever altered. The same occurred with Saul who became Paul. Our flesh may want God to grant grace on our terms but He does not and never will. The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord. Compromise is never part of God’s plan of salvation. Brokenness of self will is step one to salvation. Without it grace is not provided…..a message today’s culture openly rejects.

March 7, 2019 8:56 am

steve dillman

I drop in at this site once a week at least to get an idea of what other SBC members and especially Pastors are concerned about or what their views are on current events. I really thought that the article that was written with great sincerity and I will say angst would get more comments and input than the 3 comments above.

With the recent vote on homosexual issues by the UMC and the traditional UMC members barely voting to keep the traditional stance on homosexuality I thought this would be of major concern, interest and commentary for SBC leaders and concerned members as it will be a continuing issue with every religious organization.

As I consider this site to be somewhat on the progressive side of some issues, and I do not mean that in a negative way, I thought the concerns expressed in above article would lead to some good reflective insight on the proper way for the SBC to prepare for a similar confrontation in the SBC as the UMC just went though.

Again, I guess I am just surprised that we got crickets. The 3 comments , mine included, I thought might be the conservative side of the issue that might be challenged or at least examined. So either I am right or it is a non issue , or it is just not worth getting into. Puzzled I guess

You are right, there was no debate on this issue. I think those of us who think about grace differently than what has been expressed by you and Rudd don’t believe you can hear us so we didn’t say anything. Since you asked however, I have to say that I was really disappointed in your first response. Saying, ‘there are many churches in every area that will accept you and welcome you without reservation.’ is exactly the issue. Sinners felt welcomed by Jesus and sat and ate with him. Today, sinners do not feel welcome in our fellowships. To me, we are standing for principles while abandoning people. That’s not what Jesus did. The author of this post made a compelling plea for us to open our doors to a hurt and broken community. I believe that if anyone from that community read what you and Rudd said they would not believe they were welcome. The real debate needs to be how can we love and welcome sinners and point them to Jesus without compromising truth?

March 8, 2019 12:23 pm

Michael White

Strider,
A few points.

Well many feel uncomfortable when their rebellion against God is pointed out.
Jesus didnt sit with sinners in a worship service.
I hope you realize there is a vast difference between being at a party and coming together to worship God.

My church, at various times during the year has a Wed. night Spaghetti dinner for a dollar. It is open to anyone.
It is not a worship service but a community service. Yes we pray for the food but many come after the prayer. We invite those there to stau for our prayer meeting but none really do. They get a plate of spaghetti, a salad, a roll, and a piece of pie or cake and coffee or lemonade.

Church members come and eat and get to know our neighbors, and share Jesus if such an opening presents itself, or answer any questions that might be asked. We don’t care if they re gay or straight or adulterers or whatever [how in the world woud we even know] but simly that they are people who want a cheap meal and maybe a person to talk to [about anything].

The hurt and brokenness of the LBGT+ community can not be solved while they defy the only help we really have: a relationship with the Lord. Humility and repentance for sin must come before healing. Church service is for worshipping God and the fellowship of the saints. Those walking in sin, even believers, should come in repentance in order to gain healing and help.

Practically speaking, a visitor to a service who is an effiminate looking man, should not be considered unrepentant or gay. The only way we know him is if he reveals himself. Same with rest of those letters. If they reveal themselves and learn we consider such acts as sinful and needing of repentance, and come back anyway, its not like eveyone in the congregation knows their personal business. Nor shoud they. But if they are broadcasting their rebellion to all then why shoud they feel comfortable? And who knows, maybe the uncomfortableness they experience is due to the conviction of sin by the Spirit and not due to the believers in worship.

March 9, 2019 4:10 am

Bob Williford

One of the problems that projects disagreement is the fact that the Methodists (or at least this one person) is using the Historical-Critical Method of biblical interpretation which attempts to force a square peg into a round hole and the Bible will not fit because the Bible is not bound by space and time. And the anonymous Blogger writes, “We have come across as less than loving and kind toward many who identity as anything other than straight.” Not long ago I ran amuck with a non-Baptist who said, “How can you tell anyone that they are going to Hell?” My response was simple, but rejected, for Jesus said this Nicodemus, “The one who believes in him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed.” John 3:18-20 NET2. She told me, “You cannot judge.” My response was/is, “Jesus has already done that and I am only making an observation, “The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.” and Paul makes that clear in 1 Cor. 6:9-10. The issue then turned to the absolute truth found in God’s Word and this argument was rejected as well in protecting the LBGT community from the wrath of God’s judgment. I do not turn away from that community, but rather am pointing a lost person to a righteous God whose truth is known to us in His Word.

March 8, 2019 9:25 am

Michael White

Bob,
Exactly. The message of hope for the LGBT+ community rests on the message of the Law. The law exposes sin. Light exposes darkness. And those that love the darkness are uncomfortable when the light of truth is shone upon them.

Only let us not forget that we too were once like them. But we have been washed and made clean. Because someone shone the light on us, and made us uncomfortable, and by the grace of God, we were saved.

The people liked to be around Jesus until His words caused them to be uncomfortable, and then they left Him.